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TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 29

greater peace in realizing the natural
way of things. This cultivates in us
the ability to savor every moment
of life, to find peace in even the
most mundane activities, as well
as the ability to transform your
typically “negative” experiences into
something altogether nourishing
and healing.

5. Change yourself, change the
world
Buddhists understand that you can
hardly help another before you help
ways. The saṅgha is ultimately and joy, and realize the greatest yourself. But this isn’t referring to
just one way of looking at life, lessons life can teach you as a result you gaining power or riches before
through the lens of the individual of living fully awake to the present you can help others, or living in a
“expressions” of the totality. moment. way that you ignore others.

By living in a way that you’re fully 4. Live deeply This is mostly referring to
aware of the power of connecting To live deeply, in a way that you the fact that because we’re all
with others, whether it’s one person become keenly aware of the precious interconnected, by you helping
or a group of 100, and seeking to nature of life, is to begin down the yourself you create an exponentially
nurture those relationships in the path of true peace and happiness. positive effect on the rest of the
appropriate way, you can transform world.
your life in ways that will pay Why? Because to live in this way is
dividends for years to come. to gradually become aware of the If you want to make an impact on the
true nature of the world. This will world, don’t falsely convince yourself
3. Wake up happen essentially in “sections” of that it’s “you or them”. You don’t
One of the most powerful points on the whole, such as realizing your need to drag yourself through the
this list, the power of simply living interconnectedness (you begin to mud to help those around you. If you
in a way that you’re fully awake to see how everything is connected to do this, you’ll greatly hamper your
every moment of your life pretty everything else) and impermanence ability to create a positive impact.
much couldn’t be exaggerated even (you begin to see how everything is
if I tried. ever-changing, constantly dying only At the deepest level of
to be reborn in another form). understanding, by making it about
Mindfulness, greater awareness, These realizations are the bread you you’re also making it about
paying attention, whatever you want and butter of Buddhism and all them because you know there’s no
to call it- it changes every facet of spiritual practice. These “sections separating “you” and “them”.
your life and in every way. It’s as of the whole” are fragments of the Take care of yourself and seek to
simple as that. ultimate realization, ways for us to be more than just a help, but an
understand that which can’t be fully example of how to live for others
Strive to live fully awake to each understood in the traditional sense. to follow and you’ll create waves of
moment of your daily life and By living in a way that you seek to exponential possibility that inspires
overcome your greatest personal realize these various “qualities of others to do the same.
struggles, find a great sense of peace the ultimate” you find greater and